The Pageant of the Masters and the date I didn't want to go on

Twenty-six years ago on a late July evening, I reluctantly agreed to a date with a boy.  Truth be known,  I didn't really want to go, because he was a bit older and a bit geeky, but I didn't have the guts to turn him down.  It sure didn't make matters any easier that he was a friend of the guy I had just finished dating for past three years.  All day long, as I sat on my lifeguard tower at the local pool, butterflies turned in my stomach over the pending evening.


However, I devised what I thought was the perfect strategy.  I'd go, but I planned to give off the "I'm not interested" vibe which would cause him to never want to ask me out again.  It was simple and I was sure I could make it work.  I just had to survive the evening, I kept telling myself.  How bad could one evening possibly be anyways?


So when he picked me up at my house he presented me with a single yellow rose.  Ugh.  Heap the coals on me, why don't you?  Don't like me, okay?  Please let's just not make this any harder than it has to be.


So, we got into his little red Volkswagen GTI and began the long drive to Laguna Beach to attend the Pageant of the Masters. 


I have to admit, I kind of liked the car - and it helped turn his geek factor down a bit.   We began to make conversation, and it was actually quite enjoyable.  I softened up a bit.  It wasn't going to be so bad.  He was actually nice and rather sweet, and was definitely one of the godliest guys I'd ever encountered.


Actually, to my pleasant surprise, we had a completely wonderful evening.  We were hitting it off pretty good.  After the show, we went out for hot cocoa at a sleepy Newport Beach coffee shop. I wasn't anxious to get home or end the evening at all now.

After we drove home, he walked me to my door.  I kind of liked him, so I invited him to my parents' 25th anniversary party, which was the next night at our house.  I don't know what I was thinking.  It just seemed like a good idea at the time.  As I walked up the stairs to my bedroom, I thought to myself, "I could marry him."  What a difference a few hours makes! 


So, he came to the party the next day and met my parents.  Then he asked me out again.  We went out to dinner.  Then a day at Disneyland where he was bold enough to ask if he could hold my hand.  We had a whirlwind six weeks of getting to know each other and were quite inseparable and in love. 

Then on September 28th he gave me a diamond ring and asked me to be his wife.  I think you know the rest of the story. :-)  


Seriously, that's how it really happened!  26 years later, on another late July evening, we found ourselves at the Pageant.  A lot has changed since then, but he still brought the same blue backpack with an extra jacket for me.  :-) 


Over the years, we've gone to the Pageant a handful of times, and even took our kids once.  We love it.  It had been awhile so this year I surprised Rich with tickets.  I got them for July 24th, the exact day we went 26 years ago. :-) Wish I had a picture of us on that date, but I don't. 

Rich took the day off for the occasion, and after breakfast at one of our fave places we relaxed on Laguna beach awhile before heading to a great dinner at 230 Forest Avenue and then on to the Pageant for the 8:30 show.  


It was a perfectly perfect summer day with my date from long ago.  :-)  My heart was full. 


I don't think many people know about the Pageant.  It's quite a unique event.  It's basically a live art show - famous paintings and sculptures portrayed with real people in them.  There is also a beautiful orchestra and it's all in a great outdoor amphitheater.  There is an announcer who gives the history of each piece which is thoroughly enjoyable, and the live art is really quite breathtaking.  It's hard to describe, except to say that it's an amazing show and an incredible experience to go.   If you are ever looking for something fun to do in the L.A. area (well, a bit beyond, but totally do-able in a day), you ought to consider heading down to Laguna and checking it out.  Don't forget to bring binoculars no matter how good your seats are. You'll want to look at the art in detail.  Click here for more info.   It's one of my favorite summer things to do!

The show is about to begin!

WDW returns! Yummy, healthy, soft granola bars

Emma's bestie Kait brought these over for us a couple weeks ago.  She found them on Pinterest of course, and they are really great!  I've never had a good recipe for a soft granola bar and I like these a lot.  The ingredients are all super healthy. You can pretty much use any dried fruit and seeds you like, just keep the right proportions.  I doubled the recipe so I could have a lot!  Sorry for the crummy picture... it was night and I used my phone.  I knew if I didn't take a quick photo they would be gone!
 

ALMOND BUTTER GRANOLA BARS

1/2 cup almond butter

2 small bananas, mashed

1/2 cup whole almonds

1/4 cup dried apricots

1/4 cup dried cherries (I used dried nectarines)

1/4 cup raisins (I used half craisins, half dried blueberries)

1/4 cup mixed seeds (eg. pumpkin, sunflower... I used a combo of   sunflower, chia, and flax)

1 cup rolled oats

Yields 12 bars

---------------------------------------------------------------------
Preheat oven to 350F. Line wide loaf tin with parchment paper.

In a small pot on low heat melt almond butter and mashed bananas. Stir gently until well combined. Set aside.

In a food processor, coarse chop the almonds and apricots.  Transfer to a bowl. Fold in raisins and cherries. Mix in seeds and oats. Fold in the almond butter mixture. Press the batter into prepared loaf pan. Bake for 20-25 minutes. Let cool before cutting into bars/squares.  Wrap tightly and keep refrigerated.

More Natural Homemade Cleaners

My son walked in the kitchen the other day while I was mixing up a batch of my homemade window cleaner.  He asked what I was doing and when I told him, he looked puzzled and said, "Can't you just buy Windex like everyone else?  You always make EVERYTHING."  My poor kids, all they ever wanted was a normal mother and they got me.

So, why can't I just buy Windex?  Well, why should I when I can make my own window cleaner using all natural ingredients and without ammonia fumes for PENNIES.  Sorry, Drew, it won't be blue and won't be in a name brand bottle.  Maybe some day you'll understand.

I just love this concoction and it really does clean windows without streaks.   Try some and see what you think.  Here's what you'll need: 

 

Plain old white vinegar, cornstarch, distilled water, and rubbing alcohol.

Here's the recipe:

Streak-free Window Cleaner

1/2 cup rubbing alcohol

1/2 cup white vinegar

2 Tbsp. cornstarch

4 cups warm water (distilled is optional- I use tap)

Mix all together and pour into spray bottle.

Shake well before each use (cornstarch settles). 

Please pardon Emma's malaria medication in the background!  :-)

I also just tried making my own foaming soap for the bathrooms.  I had some old Method bottles and I was buying the refill pouches for them at around $6 a pop.  One day, it dawned on me that there must be a recipe out there for foaming soap.  Sure enough I found one easily, and I love it.  I can't say if this one saves that much money, since the bottle of Dr. Bronner's was $5 and I'm not sure how many batches I'll be able to get out of it.  Here's what you will need:

Essential oil of choice, tea tree oil, distilled water, Dr. Bronner's liquid castile soap

Foaming Soap

¼ cup liquid castile soap (Dr. Bronner’s – any scent)

¾ cup distilled water

Tea tree oil – a few drops

Lemon or other essential oil (opt.)

Mix well and put in foaming dispenser.

I also have a recipe for homemade wood furniture cleaner - I haven't tried it yet since I still have some store-bought kind to finish up.  Here it is in case you want to try it.

 

Wood Furniture Spray

2 tsp. olive oil

½ tsp. lemon essential oil

¼ cup vinegar

1 ¾ cups water

Spray on and wipe with a clean rag.

Happy Cleaning - more healthy and less money!

She's back!

I realized I had not posted of Emma's return from Thailand!  We happily received her at LAX on the afternoon of Thursday, June 28th.  Nick and Kait were able to join us and we were all SO excited to see her!  Ahhh... so wonderful to see her beautiful face!  I was overwhelmed by God's protection over her and the blessing of good health that I could see, even after 46 straight hours of travel.  We brought Team Thailand to In-n-Out burger to blast them back into American culture, and then back to Master's College where they would spend the night and debrief the following day. 

Here she is seeing her daddy.   I kind of lost it right then.  :-)
And no, that is not her luggage on the left ...ha ha!

 

 These two were happy to see each other.  Well, just slightly  :-)

The next day in the evening, the family and friends of the team were invited to come share a wonderful evening under the Oaks at the college and hear the team speak briefly of their experience.  We thoroughly enjoyed hearing how God blessed their trip from everyone's perspective, though Emma informed me later that we heard maybe 5% of what could really be said.  I knew that it would take some time for her to express the experience that she had.  While she didn't suffer a stitch of jet lag (surprisingly), I can see that she is changed by this experience and needs time to process it all.   It was a very different life in Thailand, and she LOVED every second of her time there.  I'm thankful that she could gain this amazing experience and look forward to how God uses it in her life.


I can't tell you how wonderful it feels for this momma to lay her head on her pillow each night and know her daughter is sleeping under the same roof.  Six weeks was a really long time and Thailand is very far away.   I have to say, God blessed Rich and I with a perfect peace while she was gone.  And what a gift Skype was!  One dose of that joyful, pretty face and we could go on.  :-)  She didn't have much time to communicate with us, but we probably got to talk with her at least every 5-7 days and left us smiling each time.


I know she will post something on her blog soon, and when she does I will link it up.  For now, I just want to thank everyone who had a part in helping her go, from supporting her by buying soap/candles from me, or praying for her. 


Here's an instagram shot of Emma, her best friend Kait, and I last week on a girly date.  We got our toes done and had lunch at our favorite bakery, Berolina.   Welcome back, sweet Emma!  

Meatless Mondays - Giada's Roasted Vegetable Penne

Before I begin, today is my Emma's 19th birthday, and I want to give a little shout out to her in Thailand!  Happy Birthday to the sweetest girl on earth, with LOTS of love from your momma.  Can't wait to see you Thursday and hug you!  

Well, I must say, this week's Meatless Monday is absolutely delicious!  It's Giada de Laurentiis' Roasted Vegetable Penne and it's a WINNER.  Even though it's a cinch to make, I do want to warn you that it dirties practically every pot in the kitchen... but trust me it's so worth it!  You can make it early in the day and pop it in the oven when you're ready to eat.  I love dishes like that - there aren't many out there that don't contain cream of mushroom soup.  :-)  I think this dish would be great for easy summer entertaining and would please practically anyone.

I followed the recipe to a T, but there is a lot of flexibility here.   It would be a great way to use up odds and ends veggies, and I'm sure you could substitute out the cheese for another melty type. 

Gorgeous veggies about to go in the oven

Giada's Roasted Vegetable Penne

2 red peppers, cored and cut into 1-inch wide strips

2 zucchini, quartered lengthwise and cut into 1-inch     cubes

2 summer squash, quartered lengthwise and cut into 1-inch cubes

4 cremini mushrooms, halved (I used 10)

1 yellow onion, peeled and sliced into 1-inch strips

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

1 teaspoon salt, divided

1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, divided

1 tablespoon dried Italian herb mix or herbes de  Provence

1 pound penne pasta

3 cups marinara sauce (I prefer Rao's)

1 cup grated fontina cheese

1/2 cup grated smoked mozzarella

1 1/2 cups frozen peas, thawed

1/4 cup grated Parmesan, plus 1/3 cup for topping

2 tablespoons butter, cut into small pieces

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.

On a baking sheet, toss the peppers, zucchini, squash, mushrooms, and onions with olive oil, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon pepper, and dried herbs. Roast until tender, about 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook for about 6 minutes. Since you will be cooking the pasta a second time in the oven, you want to make sure the inside is still hard. Drain in a colander.

In a large bowl, toss the drained pasta with the roasted vegetables, marinara sauce, cheeses, peas, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Using a wooden spoon, gently mix, until all the pasta is coated with the sauce and the ingredients are combined.

Pour the pasta into a greased 9 by 13-inch pan. Top with the remaining 1/3 cup Parmesan and butter pieces. Bake until top is golden and cheese melts, about 25 minutes.

The Anniversary Gift I gave Rich

Awhile ago, I alluded to a special gift I got for Rich for our anniversary.  Well, this gift was a beautiful watercolor painting of our home.  I have a dear, sweet friend, Laurie Price, who happens to be a wonderful watercolor artist.  One day, it just hit me that I should have her paint our home.  This picture does not do the painting justice… it is simply beautiful.   She did it in 11 x 14 size (her largest) and I framed it in a dark frame with a double mat.

 
Below are some real photos of the house so you can see how beautifully she captured it. I am so thankful Laurie could do this for us.  It is already a treasure!

I want to share a little bit about Laurie.  I have been friends with her for many years...  I think we met when we took a parenting class in their home over 20 years ago.   I have always admired and looked up to her.  

Laurie is the kind of friend that you can really talk to about matters of the heart.   She is a kind and thoughtful, and when I think of her, I think of the radiant joy of the Lord that is always on display on her face.  She is not a joyful person because she has had an easy life.  No, rather she has had many trials, and her joyful response to those trials has inspired me in a profound way.  

Currently she is taking care of her husband, Gary, who has Alzheimer’s.  He is not an old man, this came on early, and I'm she never imagined this would be her lot at this phase of life.  But, she sees her life through God's sovereign will for her and she is content.  I have learned that it is no easy task caring for someone with Alzheimer's.  She has had to assume leadership in the home, managing everything and overseeing her husband's care.  What is so beautiful is that she still loves Gary with all her heart and does not consider it a burden.  She lovingly talks with him even when he cannot respond or process what she is saying.  I know when she reads this she will shake her head and want to tell me how she fails - so Laurie, please know that you are a very special lady and just smile. :-)  I truly am so thankful for her example to me, and the friendship we share.  If you have a minute, please check out her wonderful blog (she’s also on my blogroll, under “I Have Been Young.”)  I promise you will be so enriched if you do.

Please also take a moment to look at her Etsy shop.   She sells gorgeous, art quality notecards (I have bought some of her precious bird ones for gifts). Also, what is really special is that she does beautiful custom children’s name artwork.  Each one tells a story and she creatively weaves in details about the child.   You have to see them – they are so unique!  You can also see the painting she did for me under "commissioned home portrait."  I know she'd appreciate you stopping by!

Meatless Mondays - main dish salads with grains

Now that it's summer, I like to serve main dish salads for dinner on the patio.  When we were in Hawaii, I ordered a salad at a restaurant and it had quinoa tossed in with the greens.  It sparked an idea!  Instead of meat as the protein, why not throw in protein-rich grains, seeds, or legumes like quinoa or lentils?  

I also recently had a yummy southwestern lentil salad from the Whole Foods salad bar and I wanted to experiment with lentils.   I don't know about you, but I wasn't accustomed to cooking with them much.  I have come to learn that they are quite nutritious - they contain about 30% protein, and have fiber, folate, and B vitamins (if you sprout them they are even MORE nutritious).    And, if you add in some brown rice, you will have a complete protein.  I have been enjoying the convenience of the cooked lentils from Trader Joe's (in a box, in the fridge section by the salad greens), and I just purchased some dry red lentils to work with.  


Pictured above is a super easy salad made with brown lentils.  The ingredients are:


-chopped baby kale (love this; found it at Whole Foods - in a large plastic box by the other salad greens)
-pre-cooked brown lentils (TJ's)
-orange segments
-avocado chunks
-diced red bell pepper
-chopped fresh cilantro

And I think brown rice, chopped red onion or scallions, and some sunflower seeds would be an improvement.   This was an afterthought  :-)


The dressing was simply lime juice, olive oil, salt, pepper, and a little cumin & chili powder.

Basically, if you have "greens and a grain" you can pretty much add anything, and it's hard to go wrong!  Last week we had some ripe nectarines, so I made basically the same salad adding those, some nuts, and dried fruit.  I like to make a fruity balsamic vinaigrette for salads with fruit.

If you have small children, you're probably wondering how this could be eaten by them for dinner!  Instead of tossing the ingredients into a salad, I would suggest deconstructing it and putting little piles of each of the ingredients onto a plate - and let little fingers serve themselves.   It's good for kids to actually taste each food by itself anyways.  Or a small bowl with lentils, brown rice, and some very finely chopped greens tossed in (something that can be eaten with a spoon) would work as well.  If it's still not enough, just add some cheese chunks or an apple/banana with a nut butter!   


Enjoy being creative with your summer salads! 

Snapshots of Hawaii

Well, the last hurrah of our 25th anniversary in May was a week-long trip to Maui. We returned to our beloved honeymoon spot - the Hyatt on Ka'anapali beach. It's our little slice of heaven on earth. 

The view of paradise from our room.  We loved the ocean sound and warm breeze while sleeping.

Favorite poolside lunch:  jerk-seared ahi salad with candied ginger dressing - so amazing!

Fun instagram-enhanced beach shot on Ka'anapali.  One of our many long and leisurely beach walks.

Unique afternoon snack:  whole coconut and coconut water to drink- yum!

Our special anniversary dinner at Mama's Fish House in Paia.

Celebrating 25 years with my best friend. :-)
Kuau Cove, Mama's Fish House

Best appetizer EVER: lobster guacamole with sweet potato and taro chips. Simply over the top!

The gorgeous, serene view from our breakfast table each morning.  You just sit there and sigh...

Always our first plate at the breakfast buffet each morning.  Could not get enough papaya!

Organic garden fresh salad from the amazing I'O restaurant in Lahaina.

Rich enjoying shave ice with green tea, almond, and coconut syrups. 

We stopped at the cutest bakery on the way to the airport to fly home. Don't these look amazing?  No worries... we picked up a mini pie to share on the plane home.  :-)

***

We love Maui, and are particularly fond of west Maui.  It's just a very special place.  We have gone the last couple times on great Costco travel package deals - they come with or without airfare.  Do check them out if you every plan to go.  In addition, here are some of our favorite Maui things to help you enjoy your stay as much as we did.

Favorite resort:

Hyatt Regency Maui on Ka’anapali Beach:  Very luxurious and Hawaiian, situated at the south end of Ka’anapali beach.  When we arrived there the first day of our honeymoon, we were like two kids in a candy shop.  :-)   It's simply eye candy everywhere you look and the Hyatt doesn't disappoint.  We make sure we book a deal to include the beautiful buffet breakfast every day at Swan Court restaurant. :-)  

We have walked through all the resorts on Ka'anapali beach and think the Hyatt tops them all.  If you are going with kids and want to do a condo, we like the Ali'i, a few doors down from the Hyatt.  We stayed there with our kids a few years ago, and it was great for us.  Ka'anapali is perhaps the most picturesque, pristine beach on Maui -clean as a whistle, fine sand, crystal clear blue water with a temp around 75-80 degrees, and nice gentle waves to body surf in.  You couldn't ask for anything more in a beach.


We highly recommend going off-season to Maui.  We like May since it's our anniversary, but October is nice, too.  If you go in the summer you will be dealing with a LOT of crowds.  The weather is usually perfect in those months, too, about 80 degrees and not too much rain.

Favorite restaurants:

*Tip:  Make reservations BEFORE you leave.  These restaurants all fill up quickly. 
We favor the below restaurants for their fresh, local fish, but they have non-seafood items as well.  

Mama’s Fish House in Paia:   Hands down, our favorite restaurant -worth the 45 min. drive from Ka'anapali.   Amazing ambiance (set on private Kuau cove), super Hawaiian, top notch service and food - a don’t miss place.  Yes, it’s expensive, but we think it’s worth it.   Menu favorites: lobster-stuffed mahi with a mac-nut crust and pineapple glaze; lobster guacamole; coconut soup with shrimp; and the chocolate Kuau pie is a must!  They also serve 100% Kona coffee in a press pot.  Tip:  get there right in time to watch the sunset before you go in.  Be sure to let them know if it’s a special occasion, they’ll treat you right!

http://www.mamasfishhouse.com/

Mala in Lahaina:  Unique and quaint, right on the water on Front St.  Innovative menu items.   Their fish is always prepared in a delicious way with fresh local ingredients and wonderful sauces.   Tip:  get there in time to watch the sunset from any table in the restaurant or on their outside patio (do request a patio table).

http://www.malaoceantavern.com/

I’O in Lahaina:   Elegant waterfront restaurant, at the end of Front Street. Again, get there at sunset and sit outside. They have their own organic farm and 95% of the produce on their menu comes from it.  The most beautiful vegetable dishes and salads ever seen on a menu. 

http://www.iomaui.com/

Sansei Sushi & Seafood in Kapalua:   The best sushi, and they also have a great menu.  Let your server be your guide, but be sure to get their Panko Crusted Ahi Tuna Roll!!

http://sanseihawaii.com/index.html

Hali’imaile General Store in Hali'imaile (near Kahului airport):   Our traditional stop for our first meal after landing in Maui.  Great location in the upcountry – and a great menu.  Their specialty is the Sashimi Napleon appetizer– so amazing.   The blackened ahi wrap is also excellent.   Reservations not usually needed for weekday lunch.

http://bevgannonrestaurants.com/haliimaile/

Other misc. favorites:

Ulilani’s Shave Ice in Lahaina or Kihei:  Simply the best Shave Ice.  Be sure to get a scoop of Mac Nut ice cream on the bottom.   We love their coconut syrup – it’s great in combination with guava and lilikoi.  Also their green tea and almond syrups are delicious.  They make many of their own natural flavors.

http://ululanisshaveice.com/

Leoda’s Kitchen and Pie Shop in Lahaina:  Darling shop and a great place to pick up a sandwich.  Their mini pies are really good, too and are perfect for two  :-)

http://www.leodas.com/

Warren and Annabelle's Magic Show in Lahaina:  It sounds crazy but we HIGHLY recommend this show!   Advance reservations are a MUST (before you leave).   They sell out two shows nightly (we prefer the earlier show).  Try to pick a night when Warren himself is doing the show.

http://www.warrenandannabelles.com/

Snorkeling:  We like Honalua Bay and Black Rock.  It's also fun to take a snorkel/lunch cruise.

Secret spot to visit:  The Olivine pools.  Spectacular views.

Aloha!

Foods I love: Sprouted Bread

I'm glad many of you liked my posts on healthy eating.  In part 3, I listed in general many of the foods we like to eat, and I thought I'd begin to highlight some of my personal favorite foods and products.  Today I want to highlight sprouted bread. 

First of all, I don't make much homemade bread.   The reason being, we don't really eat a lot (we eat toast and my boys eat sandwiches some weekdays; I only use up a loaf about every other week).  I never serve bread with dinner unless we have guests - when I do, I use this method). 

Secondly, I don't have a grain mill.  Most pre-ground flours you buy (even whole wheat and other grains) lose much of their vitality soon after milling (and go rancid rather quickly due to the oils in them). By the time you buy them, they are not even close to being as nutritional as home milled grain.    If you do grind your own grains for bread, you should be mindful of soaking or sprouting them first.  For more information, read here and here.   I just noticed the sprouted grains bins at Whole Foods the other day. With the offering of some healthier options now, and the fact that we don't go through as much, I find it convenient to buy my bread.  

Bread made with sprouted grains is exceptionally nutritional, as the process not only increases the vitamin content, but it neutralizes phytic acid (a substance present in grains that inhibits the absorption of nutrients).  More on this.

Here's one of my favorites, Food for Life Sprouted Grain Bread.  You may be familiar with this company's Ezekiel bread at Trader Joe's, Whole Foods, or Sprouts.  I like this particular one that they make, as it is free of soybeans.  Here are the ingredients for this bread:

Organic Sprouted Whole Wheat, Filtered Water, Organic Malted Barley, Organic Sprouted Whole Rye, Organic Sprouted Whole Barley, Organic Sprouted Whole Oats, Organic Sprouted Whole Millet, Organic Sprouted Whole Kernel Corn, Organic Sprouted Whole Brown Rice, Fresh Yeast, Sea Salt.

Love those ingredients! 

This bread is best toasted.  I like it with almond butter and raw honey for breakfast, or with avocado and tomatoes (open face) or other veggies piled on for lunch.   I keep the bread in the freezer for freshness, and just put frozen slices directly into the toaster.

Meatless Mondays - Grilled Veggie Sandwich and Quinoa Salad

I adore veggie sandwiches. From the classic avocado, tomato & sprouts on grainy bread, to a hot one filled with grilled veggies, I could eat them every day. 

And I absolutely adore quinoa! Quinoa is a recently discovered ancient grain. It is a complete protein, supplying all 9 essential amino acids, plus is a good source of magnesium, folate, and phosphorus. I like to cook a bunch at a time, because I'll eat it for breakfast (drizzled with some raw honey and almonds - yum), lunch, or dinner. I find it the perfect thing to toss anything and everything into. I just use whatever is around... from diced fruit to diced veggies, nuts, seeds, you name it.  I tend to prefer something sweet, a fresh fruit such as a diced mango or some blueberries, some dried fruit, some kind of fresh herb and some nuts for crunch.  Add a light dressing and you have a fast, delicious side or even a meal. 

So, all that said, this is one of my favorite pairings. For this sandwich, I grilled some meaty whole portabello mushrooms, thick Vidalia onion slices, and some sliced zucchini. I just brush the veggies with a little olive oil, season with some lemon pepper and grill them up. You could also use red bell peppers, yellow squash, and eggplant is especially delicious grilled. 

For this sandwich I really love a grainy sourdough bread, like Trader Joe's cracked wheat sourdough. I spread both inside slices with some goat cheese (hummus would be great, too), layer on the veggies, and toast it on a stovetop skillet until golden brown.  

For the salad, really there is no recipe. Tonight I searched the pantry and fridge and came up with the following: a finely diced apple, chopped dates, chopped pecans, fresh cilantro, and green onion. I tossed it lightly with a splash of peach balsamic vinegar and olive oil, and seasoned with a bit of pink Himalayan salt and freshly ground pepper. SO good!